Instead, Goodell placed Smith's benching squarely on coach Jim Harbaugh's decision to stick with Colin Kaepernick as the 49ers starting quarterback. Kaepernick will make his 10th career start Sunday in Super Bowl XLVII.

"I believe very strongly there's a difference between a medical decision and a football decision," Goodell said. "I'm glad he came forward and identified he had an injury."

Smith was enjoying a career-best season before sustaining a concussion in a Nov. 11 tie against the St. Louis Rams. Kaepernick replaced Smith the following game, and Smith remained on the sideline a week later despite being medically cleared.

Upon his benching, Smith said he did nothing to lose his job other that get a concussion, and that message surely spread throughout NFL locker rooms where other players fear falling victim to the same scenario.

"I understand the somewhat dilemma," Goodell said of reporting injuries. "The highest priority needed is players rising their hand when they have an injury."